It was a very sad day in my household yesterday as we heard about the death of someone we held in high esteem. Like most Comedians there are many people I look up too, but mainly the ones who helped me hone my skills and taught me it was ok to be me, even if the real me was a little zany from time to time. One of my biggest influences left us yesterday and that person was the inimitable Robin Williams.

This guy was actually a very big part of my childhood and was in many of my favorite TV Shows and Movies that became a part of our popular culture. From Mork and Mindy, to Mrs Doubtfire, to the Birdcage, and everything in between, I really loved it all, and his ability to make us laugh was second to none. Even though I never met him he had been in my living room often. As with many artistic people there was a side that we didn't see, the side that was sad and depressed and actually talked about it openly.

Though things have admittedly got better over the years there is still a stigma attached to Mental Health issues and in the entertainment industry there are many who are speaking out and making a difference. It is a very common occurrence for artistic and funny people to have a dark side but most seem to manage to keep it in check. As someone who has suffered with depression for most of my life I can attest to the fact that it is totally indiscriminate and is sometimes totally uncontrollable.

According to statistics provided by National Institute of Mental health (NIMH) 9 percent of Adults in the USA from all walks of life suffer with some form of depression. Women are statistically 70 percent more likely to suffer with depression than men in their lifetime. Men are more likely to self medicate with drugs or alcohol and women are more likely to seek help from friends or professionals. Thesestatistics are steadily on the rise and it is considered to be a worldwide epidemic.There are various forms of depression including:

﻿· Dysthymia.﻿A minor but chronic depression that can last two years or longer, which affects about 1.5 percent of American adults.Postpartum depression. Affects about 10 to 15 percent of women shortly after childbirth.Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) Usually occurs during winter months and is probably caused by lack of natural sunlight. SAD affects 4 to 6 percent of Americans and is more common the farther north you live.·Bipolardisorder. Involves moods that cycle between depression and extreme excitability, called mania. Bipolar disorder affects about 2.6 percent of American adults. ·Psychotic depression. The most severe form and includes breaks with reality, such as hallucinations or delusions. It is less common than other forms of depression; according to one study, psychotic depression occurs in about 5 percent of people who suffer from major depression.

It is imperative to keep on top of these things but it is not always possible to do so and some like Robin lose that battle with tragic consequences. Those left behind are always feeling the dilemma of thinking they could have done more and this is not the case. Whilst we should always try to be there for people and reach out to them, there is no rhyme or reason with depression and it can overtake even the strongest person.

Depression is involved in more than two-thirds of the 30,000 suicides that occur in the United States every year. For every two homicides, there are three suicides. One must get to such a low ebb to take this drastic step and finally end the pain and find peace. Depression is a very powerful condition and it unfortunately affects a lot of us in the most real and palpable ways.

Myself I am grateful that I no longer take medication and that my bouts of depression are very few and far between. I have gone from being constantly depressed to just occasionally falling into that dark pit. Although I am aware of triggers they are not always so easy to avoid. I try to avoid negativity and stress as these inevitably contribute to decline. My faith has been a great source of comfort to me and has I feel prevented me from ending my pain.

It is sad that it takes something like a National Icon taking his own life, or someone on Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors S.R.I's shooting up a school to put this subject back onto the table. Mental Health is a Global concern and we need to address this every day for those who suffer with depression. Take a little extra time to look out for those you care about and never be afraid to reach out. If you are suffering do not suffer in silence. Reach out to someone and if you don't feel like you can talk to someone you know try calling The National Suicide Prevention Line: 1 - 800 - 273 - TALK (8255) RIP Robin and thanks for keeping us smiling through your trials. Love and Peace, Xan xo

For those of us lucky enough to live in countries where we have the right of "Freedom of Speech" I wonder why merely disagreeing with someone's opinion or position on any given subject actually makes us phobic? With the recent actions of the current Administration giving us lots of cause for concern, those of us who have commented on it publicly have been subject to mixed reviews.

Some people agree fully and champion my commentary, most actually have given a positive response. Some however have accused little Xanny G of being both unpatriotic, un-American, and even Obama-phobic, but nothing could be further from the truth. I was even accused of being racist this weekend for disagreeing with the POTUS, but surely merely disagreeing does not make me any of the above?

If I am totally honest it made me realize that I have indeed responded this way before regarding several issues. I used to think that anyone who was not for gay marriage was homophobic until I broke it down and found nothing could be further from the truth. Whilst I am sure there are lots opposed to gay marriage that are total homophobes, there are I am sure, a lot that are not.

Because I took the time to dialogue and have a level of civil discourse with those I had termed as "phobic" I learned that the objections were in reference to same sex marriage in Churches and the state of Holy Matrimony and not the Civil Marriage as provided by the state, for most. Whist I think people should be clearer, sometimes we have to clarify in order to be sure or we never grow as a community.

Before I left the Dem's and saw how deep the rabbit hole really went I would term every objection to Obama's policies as either a clear objection to the man or discrimination in some way or another. Of course it couldn't be just because the policy was faulty and just like these "Xanderphobes" I deflected opinions I disagreed with by creating reasoning for their objections, even though my reasoning was even faulty.

The point it actually becomes an issue is when people cannot simply agree to disagree, and decide they want to either insult you or fight with you as they have nothing better to do. I am sure I have responded in this way, pre-evolution, but because I have evolved I do realize some people are beyond education and will not cast my pearls before swine.

I have been insulted, threatened, had death threats and all the negativity you can imagine but I am still here, fighting the good fight. One thing I learned long ago is that I am not here to be liked, although it is nice when we are. I am actually here to make a difference and if I have to endure a level of negative response in order to make a difference then so be it.

Speaking out really costs in the long run, but surely it is better to be true to oneself and say exactly how you feel rather than join the millions of other sheep who follow blindly and toe the party line, even if they feel it is wrong. We get one life and for me it is an imperative to make a difference and I hope that will be my epitaph. Here lies Xander Gibb, he made a difference in this world.

Whether or not you agree me is not the issue in this case, it is actually about being true to myself and my beliefs. I may not agree with you and your perspectives in every instance, but with dialogue and civil discourse I am sure we can find a point to have a meeting of minds. Sadly some are unreachable but I know when not to "flog a dead horse" and will simply and politely move on.

Whatever you feel about any Politician's behavior or policies that is fine with me, for if I expect the right to my opinion, surely you have the right to yours too, no matter if I agree or disagree. The art is to be able to function in spite of my opinion on your position and not to make it personal or to question someone's commitment to the Union. This deflection actually denotes to me a lack of confidence in your position when you go to those levels.

My colleague in fighting this good fight and good friend Dr. Gina Loudon was subject to vitriol recently for commenting on how questionable the Presidents decisions have been of late and she is far more qualified than I to do so. You don't see her exchanging insults and entering into slanging matches, she states her position and engages in civil discourse to get her point across. We should all take a leaf out of her book when considering our level of response.

We sometimes forget in our zeal to get our point across that "Freedom of Speech" is a two way street and there is an imperative to respect that ideology. Just because others forget this, it does not excuse our failure to respect others whether we agree or disagree as it ultimately shows the world what kind of person we really are.

With the constant requirement to be politically correct I am wondering today how far that actually goes and whether we are responsible for policing a vernacular any further than the things we say, or how we wish to be described. As a side effect of being a comic I often refer to myself in negative terms as a part of my shtick if you will. I recently referred to myself in mixed company as a "fat fag" which was totally my prerogative. I was told by another member of the L.G.B.T.Q community that this was harmful to community as a whole.

It brought back to mind (not that it ever really went away) the recent issue regarding the terminology used on the TV Show RUPAUL'S Drag Race and whether the terms "She Mail" and "Tranny" were offensive in the context that they were being used. Lets first of all recognize the huge positive impact this show has had in the straight community and how much more mainstream it has allowed, Drag to become and also the knock on effect of that for Trans people.

For anyone to ever accuse RUPAUL of not being community minded or insensitive is frankly ridiculous given the impact his work has had on the community as a whole. I was concerned that the show in order to not be seen in a bad light decided not to use the phrases in the future so as not to offendanybody. Whilst I would never want to intentionally offend anybody, for one Trans individual to lead this tirade against prominent figures in the community is startling.

Blogger Parker Marie Molloy is attempting to make a name for herself and terms herself as a "Trans Activist". If this where all it were about, girl I would back you to the hilt but this issue goes far deeper. Those of you who know me are fully aware I have a belief system that is founded on the fact that we do not have to agree on every little issue to co-exist. Molloy, however much she tries to deflect the negative attention she has brought most of it upon herself due to her inability to agree to disagree.

I accept fully that SHE does not wish to be described as a Tranny as that it offends her sensitivity and will back her to the hilt for that. When anyone insists they speak for the community as a whole and dictates how the WHOLE community should be termed and which vernacular should be used it is nothing short of ridiculous. The whole Trans community has been up in arms about Molloy and her attempts to police the vernacular of others when describing who they are.

One such person is the thankfully outspoken Jayne County who is openly Transsexual and is happy to refer to herself as a Tranny and will not bow to pressure to stop referring to herself in such terms, no Mamm! She was even banned from Facebook for using the word Tranny to describe herself. I am at a loss to how we have gotten to this point where we cannot choose the vernacular that we wish to use to describe ourselves without being Policed or Banned for it.

A group has sprung up called Trannies4Rupaul which is astounding given the level objection Molloy claims exist within the community regarding the word, but to find the answer we must dig a little deeper. I spent sometime looking through Molloy's Twitter page the other day in order to get an idea of where she was at with all of this and it was like a trail of negativity throughout. She is at odds with the world and anyone who objects or disagree with her is either blocked or their commentary is shared with Molloy's own negative spin attached for good measure.

This Victim mentality is causing a spread of divide in the community which is, I believe the true motivation for Molloy's continued vitriolic journey. She has even called for the termination of The Editor of Huff Post's Gay Voices Noah Michelson . I am unsure if Noah even knows what he has done to deserve this level of response over and above the fact he does not agree with her perspective. Be assured that Noah is not an unkind person and has even from time to time advised me to be a little less personal about people in my writing. I am quite sure Noah's crown, throne are tiara are safe for now.

One thing that would make me warm to Molloy is if she would learn to engage in Civil Discourse instead of being on the defensive so often. I have made more friends since I learned to be more objective , even people I vehemently disagree with. Instead she chooses to block and ignore anyone who does not fall into line with her ideologies. Her concern at the level of personal response she receives is puzzling as she makes all kinds of statements on how people should behave and when questioned on them she backs down or doubles back on her original statement.

We as a community should not be working against one another and it is ridiculous to feel like we will ever agree on every mute issue. As we will be discussing this issue on Sundays show, I gave Molloy the opportunity to put her point across, however she did not respond and I am now blocked by her on Twitter. Molloy is a talented writer and I am sad that she makes enemies from her level of commentary. If we choose to be continually controversial it does not bode well for a challenging career as we run the risk of being seen as an anti activist.

When we claim to be an activist and the very very people we claim to be acting for are antagonized by our very level of interaction and the issues we raise, we surely have to begin to question exactly who we are acting on behalf of. We cannot presume to direct the vernacular any individual chooses to use about themselves, only ourselves or we run the risk of causing divide rather than unification. If we choose to put our opinion out there, we have to have the balls to back it up. No pun intended.

Today, March 20th 2014, will be prominent in the minds of many for it's significance, for different reasons. It's the first day of Spring, hurry up Summer! I wrote all night, so I slept in till 1pm! Along with the rest of The L.G.B.T.Q Community I woke up to the news that the Rev. Fred Phelps, former Leader of the Westboro Baptist Church had died at the age of 84.Phelps established The Westboro Bastard Church in 1955 & has systematically attacked gays, soldiers & anyone they could fit into a box of blame for God's alleged wrath & hatred on America for allowing homosexuality. Picketing at the funerals of soldiers who had served this country in an endeavor to keep us safe was for the families & onlookers the lowest blow.

The whole of The Phelps' clan were a part of this cult masquerading as a church & doing their twisted will in Gods name, claiming free speech, with the tiring slogan "God Hates Fags" The whole ideology was that all the bad things in the U.S were due to America's acceptance of homosexuality. So not Obama to blame in this instance then?

Not all of the Phelps clan approved of his methodology, namely his son Nate, who has spoken publicly of his opposition & his Granddaughter Libby, who was fundamental in forming The Rainbow House, across the road from WBC. Libby is a Gay Advocate & former protestor, who from the age of 8 was picketing funerals with her family. She decided enough was enough when her family wanted her to participate in actively praying for people to die.

Nate Phelps who left the group many years ago, along with Libby have been estranged from the family for some years now. Nate believed his Father was sincere in his beliefs, but could ot understand where his staunch radical interpretations came from. Nate is unsure whether The WBC should be classified as a hate group as he was unaware of the ramifications. One thing is for sure, these two Phelps' did not hold truck with Fred's perceptions on God & The Bible.

Whilst Phelps Senior clearly hated gays, even those estranged members of his family did not agree with him. Libby still loved him & shared this sentiment on Facebook today. Her moving status prompted me to think more about my responses to his death. She said she was sorry for the harm he caused, but was also able to see the good in him.

I am not sad that he has passed away, & am still concerned at the level of distress both he, his family/cult caused to not just me & mine, but the community as a whole. Should I, like some others be glad he is dead & want to dance on his grave? Emphatically & most definitely, yes, or so you would think!

He was a despicable man who spread hate & incited violence against gays & straights alike. He robbed service personnel's family of their privacy & final moments with loved ones. His behavior should not dictate mine & hating him will never change any of his actions or make the world a better place.

Hating him & those who support him would make me just as bad as him & those who followed him. To steal a line from a song I wrote (It's copyrighted so don't go stealing it yourself!) Hate it ain't great, it just tares us apart, we cannot question affairs of the heart. If we allow haters to make us hate & we become that which we despise, we are no better than those who oppress us.

In previous articles I have shared my shame for hating those who I differed with politically & this is really no different when you think about it. Not only has my evolution been political, it has been personal & emotional too. I have learned that how I feel about others, no matter how justified, affects me & the way I feel & behave. In no way do I condone WBC's actions, I just have to be a better person.

Whatever you believe God is so much bigger than the WBC & Fred Phelps & they, like all of us will be accountable for their actions. No need to picket his funeral or hate his family, but continue to voice your objections. It was announced today that there wont be a funeral for Fred, I wonder why? We need to be better than those who oppress us & a part of that is about not letting hate destroy us.

Every article I write I normally, give a challenge by asking what will you do/think/believe etc. I do this in order to prompt the reader to glean something from reading what I have written. Believe me, I gained something or even reaffirmed something from writing this. Love is louder!

For most of my life I have worked as L.G.B.T.Q/Human Rights activist. Not only has it made me unpopular in some circles, miss out out on work & even lose friends, but I have had to stand by the courage of my convictions. When people ask me about my motivation in challenging people to make a difference & effect change in the world, I can only say it is because I actually care. Not just about the gays, but about everybody.In recent times a phenomenon has impinged upon the L.G.B.T.Q community that sickens most of that do actually care, to the core. I am not talking about apathy, discrimination & homophobia, those things have been around forever. I am of course referring to Anti-Activists who write such dangerous damaging commentary about their own community in order to be famous for 15 minutes.

I would be the first one to stand up for the rights of free speech, if these "Anti -Activists" really believed the dross that that they spew out, but clearly they don't. I also toyed with the idea that maybe some of them write the things they do to actually get people talking about the issues. I don't even think that is the case. Purely & simply, they do it to try to be the popular kid for a while & troll out a few sound bites.

The danger of trolling out sound bites in this fashion is the way they are interpreted & the effect they have on on equality & the community in general. Lets to take two examples used recently.

1. I wasn't born born gay, I chose to be gay.

I cannot even begin to highlight how ridiculous this statement is & for anyone to purport that ideology is either lying, hates themselves or needs several hundred billable hours with a shrink. Whilst I am most comfortable with my sexuality, it was not always the case. Very few people come running out of the closet comfortable. For most it takes time to acclimatize.

Saying one chooses to be gay buys into the myths & ideologies that we all have issues with our Fathers or were fondled in a dark corner by Uncle Freddie one Thanksgiving. It also invites the propensity for the generalization of the fact that if one us chooses to be gay, then we all did & that is clearly not the case.

This was one of the sound bites used recently by Brandon Ambrosino who refers to himself as a "Writer & Professional Dancer from Baltimore". His commentary has been causing a barrage of negativity in the community which is compounded by his lack of willingness to dialogue or stand behind his ideologies. As a writer/social commentator/journalist/broadcaster I find it imperative to research my writing & be able to explain in detail the thinking behind it.

Many of us in the L.G.B.T.Q & writing communities have asked Ambrosino at what point in his life he decided to be gay but as yet have received no response. To compound this inability to back up his commentary, everyone who disagrees with him is attacked & labeled a bully by Ambrosino & his merry band of followers, who bare their teeth to anyone who dares to question his writings.

Whilst he is more than entitled to his opinion, when he puts his point of view out there publicly he opens himself up to criticism. What he really fails to see is the ramifications of his commentary & how it is not only feeding into the deep chasm which is inequality, it also encourages a level of homophobia. This level of homophobia not only divides the community, but also gives more fodder for the the haters. To continually sensationalize these issues for ones personal progression is frankly parasitical.

Last week Panti Bliss AKA Rory O'Neill, well known Irish Activist took to the stage in Dublin to talk about inequality. Rory's commentary was moving, entertaining & educational & designed to make a difference. His video (below) went viral.

One of the crux issues for O'Neill was pertaining to what homophobia was & who was allowed to identify it. He made it clear that those challenging his thinking were those who had never experienced homophobia in their lives. This brought into question their validity to claim authority on the issue & added to his feelings of oppression. Gay people were no longer the victims of homophobia, homophobes where the victims of homophobia.

2. Those who oppose Gay Marriage aren't homophobic?

Another point O'Neill made was about how being raised in a society where homophobia thrives, it makes us all a little homophobic, even those of us who are homo's. On Friday of last week, he was invited by The BBC along with Ambrosino & Caroline Farrow to discuss Gay Marriage & if those who were against it, where homophobic.

While O'Neill remained composed & used many of the arguments stated in his video , Ambrosino response was nauseating but predictable. He says we use the term homophobia broadly & demonize or vilify everybody who has any kind of reservation around gay marriage. He also wants to open a discussion which I agree with but first of all we need to quantify the topic.

What most people have an issue with in terms of gay marriage is not the real issue. The issue is to do with Holy Matrimony, sanctified by God, which is a totally different conversation. Until we are specific enough about the differences we cannot truly offer an opinion on the issue. Two individuals of the same sex who want to go to their local Town Hall & walk away with the same rightsas their heterosexual counterparts, is what we are talking about.

Farrow who is a Catholic Blogger was also weighing in on the topic. Her response was totally towards the holy matrimony issues & not gay marriage. She went off on some tangent about marriage being a child centric issue, & it isn't. I can see however that holy matrimony is, identifying a clear need to be precise about what we are fighting for or against. The need for specificity is paramount or we are fighting battles over misnomers in terminologies.

Ambrosino, true to form uses every opportunity to pontificate & throw in buzz words & suggests he wants' to "open up the conversation". In real terms when anyone tries to open up the conversation with anything that is not specific to his agenda, he either ignores them or gets his followers to attack & call them bullies. How is this opening up the conversation on any level & how does it benefit the community as a whole, to bring the subject to the table & then refuse to dialogue?

We need to be aware of the information & opinions we put out there as they can affect the opinions & decisions of others. We need to be succinct & specific. Are you against gay marriage or are you against two people of the same sex who love each other partaking in holy matrimony? Making self serving commentary & divisive statements to make yourself popular will only work in the short term, as people will see through you very quickly.

I have tried every angle to reach Ambrosino to engage him on his dangerous commentary from being friendly, inviting him to dialogue, inviting him on my talk show & adding humor to break down the bad feeling his commentary has created. None of the above has worked.

As a comedian I attempted to make light of his perception by likening his speaking voice that of Alvin & The Chipmunks. His response was to say I was mocking him for sounding gay. I wasn't aware Alvin & the Chipmunks were gay, but maybe that speaks more to Ambrosino's victim mentality. This coupled with his friends attacking me on Facebook & calling me homophobic was the point I had to give up on him.

My response which may appear unfair was an experiment to gauge his reaction regarding commentary he disagreed with. He proved my point so well & clearly has a "do as I say, not as I do" attitude which is a little concerning to say the least. If we cannot stand by the views we put out into the world & are so unchangeable in our ideologies, we need to step back & question ourselves.

It is most unfortunate that those who shout the loudest about dialogue are the ones most unwilling to to actually engage in it. Resorting to to calling gay individuals homophobic for calling out your disloyalty to your community is a little far fetched. Thankfully, those of his throng that buy into his ideologies are few & I predict his 15 minutes of fame is all but over.

There is no doubt in my mind that not every person against gay marriage is homophobic, but questioning anyone having the same rights as you has to at least appear alarming. To quantify faulty reasoning & judgment by being unclear as to what you are actually fighting for compounds the illegitimacy of your argument.

I am thankful that thinking & feeling individuals are able to disseminate between gay marriage & holy matrimony & are able not all prone to throwing out ridiculous harmful statements about their community. Those who aren't really do need to give back their fag badges. If you care more about being liked than making a difference it will become abundantly clear & very quickly. False prophets are ten a penny!

In the past few months I have become increasingly incensed by the outspoken audacity of some Christian's on the subject of Homosexuality. This came to a head yesterday when one of The Duck Dynasty guys, Phil Robertson was suspended for comments he made to G.Q Magazine which some feel where totally acceptable. Whilst I accept he had the right to say it, I did not agree with his comments.

Likening being gay to bestiality & saying things like: Start with Homosexuality & morph out from there. "Don't be deceived that neither adulterers, nor Idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers, they wont inherit the kingdom of God. Don't deceive yourselves, its not right. A & E released a statement "We are extremely disappointed to have read Phil Robertson’s comments in GQ, which are based on his own personal beliefs and are not reflected in the series Duck Dynasty. His personal views in no way reflect those of A+E Networks, who have always been strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community. The network has placed Phil under hiatus from filming indefinitely."

After his suspension Robertson tried to backtrack by saying “I myself am a product of the 60s; I centered my life around sex, drugs and rock and roll until I hit rock bottom and accepted Jesus as my Savior. My mission today is to go forth and tell people about why I follow Christ and also what the bible teaches, and part of that teaching is that women and men are meant to be together.

However, I would never treat anyone with disrespect just because they are different from me. We are all created by the Almighty and like Him, I love all of humanity. We would all be better off if we loved God and loved each other.” Well thanks for that Phil! I really feel placated by your backtracking in order to save face & ratings. Care to offer any more insightful commentary on how Vagina's are so much better?

Funny how Sarah Palin weighed in on the topic in her usual self righteous attitude. It's not 5 minutes since she called for & got the resignation of Martin Bashir, due to comments he made about her. However abhorrent, maybe he was practicing his right to free speech, or is speech only free for those we deem it to be free for? Mrs. Palin your hypocrisy is showing again.

﻿Whilst we all have the right of Freedom of Speech, we cannot blindly use that right & not be open to it's consequences. In this interview Robertson took it upon himself to police sin, which is God's job & not man's & in doing so he judged others which is also a sin. In pointing out the perceived sin of others we actually become sinners ourselves. Who gave any of us the right to judge each other on perceived sin?

Christians have become selective when ranting about the fact they feel The Bible says homosexuality is a sin. Is it any less or more of a sin that gambling, gluttony, greed, judgment, hate, pride, eating shellfish, wearing mixed fibers etc etc? No! Because The Bible teaches there is not grading in sin, so why do some try to highlight the perceived sins of others & police sin? surely the intolerance of Christians toward Homosexuals is in itself a sin?

Take the log from your eye and leave others to deal with the splinters they have in theirs. We cannot presume to simply point out what we feel is the error of someone's ways. When did we lose sight of our own salvation & our own right standing with God? Do we need to judge others to feel better about our own lack of good standing with our heavenly father?

Whether you like it or not, in these United States rights are afforded as apart of Constitutional Equality. I hear so many Conservative Christian's talking about how imperative The Constitution is, so why pick & choose who gets those rights & freedoms that should be afforded equally. I am convinced there is a direct correlation between Same Sex Marriage being passed in so many places & the recent upsurge in Christian attacks on the L.G.B.T.Q Community

It really is time that as a nation we stopped judging & pointing out what we feel is lacking in others & get back to the the basic fundament of The Bible, which is Love. We have no right to be policing sin in the lives of others & stop the judgments. When remember that Love is Louder, we will maybe not have to be so concerned with the sins of others, & leave it to God to police sin.

After all of the hoo ha regarding sponsorship at the 2014 Winter Olympics, in Sochi, Russia, it seems money is really more important than loss of life. It has been announced that Coca-Cola will indeed be sponsoring the event & so will McDonalds . After all it's ok right? All of the athletes have trained for so long right? It's just about the event right? WRONGThis is about so much more than all of those things. It's actually about right & wrong. While we still support nations that commit Human rights Violations against their own people, we need to own an element of culpability in all of this. We cannot continue to sit idly by & say nothing, because silence really does indeed equal death.

Every day The L.G.B.T.Q Community are being oppressed, arrested, attacked, beaten & killed in Russia. Since Vladimir Putin took office the tide of Gay Hate has risen to epic proportions. Blood is being spilled on the streets due to the new anti gay legislation sanctioned by his Administration. To top this insulting behavior, they also liken being gay to being a child abuse. Talk about moving back into the dark ages.

It has also become clear that Russia will prosecute Gays during the Olympics & officials have stated that athletes who protest or speak up about the atrocities, will be disqualified from participation. There you have it athletes, you can attend the Olympics & assist with bringing money into Russia, but you cannot share your opinion on the violations. This is not Russia's rule however, it is The International Olympic Committee's rule.

It is imperative to not only cut & aid & trade with Russia & countries like it, but equally as crucial to not purchase products or procure services from companies like Coca Cola & McDonalds that sponsor events in countries where peoples Human Rights are violated on a daily basis. I am sure many of you out there would argue that it is the choice of these companies to support whatever they please & it is. Similarly it is also my right & yours as consumers, to decide where our money is spent.

Coca-Cola has an ad in Movie Theatres that depicts marriage & removes the gay marriage section in countries where gay marriage is not legal. They have disallowed certain words in their can generator including Gay or anything referring to Putin or The Olympics. I however managed to get it to produce gay & a few other choice phrases. Give it a go yourself: https://shareacoke.co.za Be sure to share on Social Media!

﻿Not buying these products or using these services will make an enormous difference. Never has consumer spending power been so strong & prevalent. It is indeed a buyers market & the volume of choice is phenomenal. Boycotts can show companies the level of bad feeling regarding their choices or financial donations.

It is an amazing thought that in addition to signing petitions, lobbying your Senator, & writing blogs & articles & other forms of peaceful protest you can also effect change with your spending. Ethical purchasing is on the rise & whilst knowing where your money goes with every single purchase is close to impossible, we can do something regarding companies we know sponsor events in countries such as this.

Coca-Cola & McDonalds are not the only sponsors/supporters/suppliers & here is list of others who you should consider withdrawing your patronage from/contacting to show your dismay: Courtesy of http://www.olympicsuniverse.com/

Boycott Putin & His regime, Boycott The Sochi Winter Olympics, Boycott Coca-Cola & any other companies that ignore the plight of The L.G.B.T.Q community in Russia & don't watch the coverage of The Olympics. The Russians people affected by this intolerance cannot thank you, but I can. Thank you.

Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it!
What will you do?
Peace & Love, Xan xo

For those of us lucky enough to live in countries where freedom of speech & freedom of sexuality is the norm, we seldom give thought to our brothers & sisters in other countries who are suffering right at this very moment. You are not alone in your lack of concern as most civilized countries don’t care that much either & continue to associate with countries with a proven history of Human Rights Violations.

In Russia gay people are being treated as criminals for being gay or presumed to be gay. Putin has really cracked down on gay people & it is reminiscent of Nazi Germany. We cannot sit idly by & allow these kind of violations around issues we just take for granted. Russian Ultra Nationalists are using this New Era of gay hate as a license to torture individuals while capturing it on video. I am like most of you am wondering what happened to a free Russia. Little wonder Putin sides with Bashir Al Assad who commits genocide & labels anyone who opposing him as a rebel.

The International Olympic Committee has also expressed concerns & the games set to be held in Russia in 2014, are now in jeopardy. This would have severe financial implications to the country & I am glad the committee has seen fit to raise concerns around the new laws. The new laws include banning gays holding hands, wearing or using rainbows, or being pro-gay & they clarify the definition as “propaganda” “any statement, oral or otherwise, that is pro-gay.”

Even admitting you are gay in public has become a crime, also equating gay relationships with straight relationships. This does not only apply to Russians but also to tourists too which makes Russia another place not to visit if you are gay, look gay, sound gay or can even say the word gay. Talk about “Vlad The Gay-Hater”

This is some disturbing legislation that we need to respond to immediately or risk more violations & lives being lost to discriminatory practices against homosexuals. There are already calls to boycott buying Russian products as a protest to the violations &Celebrities including Harvey Fierstein have thankfully been particularly outspoken. If we sit by & say nothing what does that say about us? Even signing a petition is a furtherance of equality.

The group Pussy Riot, a Russian feminist pop band were arrested for hooliganism motivated by religious hatred, & each was sentenced to two years imprisonment. Two members of the group escaped fearing prosecution & fled the country. On October 10 2012, following an appeal, Samutsevich was freed on probation, her sentence suspended. The sentences of the other two women were not quashed. In late October 2012, Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova were separated and sent to prison.

Pussy Riot was formed in order to protest against Russia’s discriminatory policies against women & was branded as political & dissident. Surely any form on non violent protest should be acceptable? John Lennon wrote Give Peace A Chance” but was not thrown into jail for exercising his freedom of speech in song. Russia has fallen back so far on Human Rights in general it is like the Dark Ages.

Their trial was heavily criticized especially in the west & their case was adopted by Amnesty International, who dubbed them quite rightly as “Prisoners of Conscience”. Putin audaciously stated they had “undermined the moral foundations of the nation” & had gotten what they asked for. “Undermined the moral foundations of the nation” “Tearing at the fabric of society” ring any bells? Fuck you Putin, who died & made you, judge of all morality in Russia? Prime Minister Medvedev stated he felt the women should not have been imprisoned but was a matter for the courts.

In Yemen they are executing homosexuals & even those perceived as being homosexuals, with the full knowledge of the government there as they are a conservative Muslim country. Whilst I have every respect for religion, I cannot even begin to express my disgust at any religious group that condones the killing of people for their actual or alleged sexual orientation. Although homosexuality it is not legally punishable but is forbidden by Society.

Gay Rights Activist Eric Ohena Lembembe was found tortured & killed in his home in Cameroon. It is illegal to be gay in Cameroon & is punishable by up to 5 yrs in prison. Since 2005 this courageous young man spoke out about the discriminatory prosecutions & was allegedly killed for this. Although investigations are being held it is doubtful the authorities will want to find or prosecute the heinous killer s of this young man. The Police do little more than take statements in these cases & it is time to act & stand up for those with no civil rights. RIP Eric.

More recently Jennifer Lopez performed for the Dictatorship of Turkmenistan & claimed she knew nothing of the human rights violations, This is an easy get out for this Latino Songstress, stating her performance was not a political statement but surely our actions are always a political statement & she cashed the damn cheque. Has J-Lo been living under a rock?

It called to mind an earlier faux-pas in which actress Hilary Swank was paid to attend attended an event for Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov in October 2011. To her credit she ended up donating the fees earned to charity, after the matter came to light. No announcement has been made of J-Lo coughing up the fees earned from such controversial events. Money is such a big key to all of this & the purse is an excellent way to effect change.

We need to immediately cease all aid & trade with countries who have been proven violate Human Rights of any kind. If we continue to blindly ignore these violations without any kind of consequences we are in danger of becoming culpable in these atrocities. I know that some people think it is unfair to punish the many for the sins of the few, but money is a big guiding force to some of these countries & if we have to use aid & trade as leverage, it’s all good in my book. We cannot close our eyes any longer.

In recent weeks I have found myself campaigning for my brothers & sisters in Russia who are affected by the new Anti-Gay laws instituted by The Putin Regime & it highlighted a matter of enormity for me. The people in Russia affected by blatant Civil Rights violations are really just the tip of the iceberg as so much is going on in the world we don't even know or hear about & some really couldn't care less.

Last night while watching random T.V I caught the end of a show about Twitter & its awesome power to enable us all to effect change. As someone who considers themselves to be an Activist/Defender in all areas of my life I was intrigued to see more. The consequence of caring about what happens to people & how their rights are affected for me is that it takes very little to prompt me to research matters further.

One of the people featured on the show was a young Muslim Woman from Bahrain who talked about the struggles her fellow Bahrainis who are suffering at the hands of the hands of the ruling classes there. Maryam Al-Khawaja is a 26 year old Human Rights Defender, daughter of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja a prominent Human Rights Defender & She is the head of the foreign relations office & Acting President for The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights since Nabeel Rajab was arrested & imprisoned.

I first went to her Twitter page to check her out further & saw a video of a talk she Gave at Tedx this year on "The Importance of standing up for Human Rights" & the similarity in her message to my beliefs were astounding. Maryam talked about the atrocities at the hands of the Bahraini Government for anyone who had the audacity to oppose it or got in the way, Men Women, Children practically anyone.

Maryam tells how her family returned to Bahrain to support the people in their struggle. Her Father was imprisoned several times & so many people just disappear when they oppose the government there. Protesters beaten, Imprisoned, Tortured & killed for merely disagreeing publicly. Not the revolutionary state that Maryam thought it was considering Bahrain has had an uprising every 10 years since the 1920's.

As she told about her life & self imposed exile for her own personal safety & her Fathers imprisonment, it brought home similarities of recent experiences of Syrian friends of mine who had been persecuted for merely opposing the Syrian Government. She highlighted the need for all of us to step up & speak out or our failure to do so makes us an enabler of injustice & I couldn't agree more.

Maryam was unable to work even with her degree & experience due to her Fathers history so became a volunteer & was arrested for volunteering. Eventually she had to return to Europe. She continued to work in the field of Human Rights & like most of us found out about the political & financial implications that prevent true human rights & freedoms in this world.

Before seeing this 2 minutes of footage on a documentary about Twitter I had never even heard of what was going in Bahrain & consider myself to be fairly in touch. Seeing some of the video evidence of what actually goes on in Bahrain put me in mind once more of the atrocities occurring in Syria right this minute at the hands of Bashir Al Assad, killing his own people for failing to comply. The world watches idly by & says very very little.

Anyone who can say nothing while people are being killed, maimed & tortured beggars belief. We in countries were freedom of speech is an automatic right don't really face much more consequence than being disagreed with or disliked & hell I'm not here to be popular, I am here to make a difference & be an Agent of Change. People in countries like Bahrain, Syria, Russia etc risk arrest, beatings, torture (physical,/psychological/sexual) & even death for having an opinion & sharing it.

Anyone with a conscience should be speaking out & being an agent of change & be effecting change everyday. With the information super highway, you don't even have to leave your house or get out of bed, but some of us have become sedate & our Social Conscience got flabby. A Change Agent can be effective everywhere from your own community issues to things happening world wide.

In very simple terms a "Change Agent" is someone who gets of their ass & cares about what is going on in the world & does things that effect change & make a difference. You may think the things going on in Bahrain/Syria/Russia etc don't affect you & I am here to inform you right now they do. Whilst we may enjoy rights & freedoms now we really have no guarantee that those things will last & not speaking out against atrocities elsewhere will contribute to the eradication of our own rights & freedoms.

Most people feel there is very little they can do to effect change but I beg to differ & here a just a few very simple examples:

* Speak out against injustice

* Sign a petition

* Write a blog

* Exercise your rights

* Lobby your Senator/M.P

* Educate yourself on the Issues

* Attend Peaceful Protests

* Vote

* Tweet/Re-Tweet/Share things of importance

on Social Media & Speak out.

* Don't just be interested in what affects you

* Join an organization/cause & give

Money, Time, Support etc

Maryam has faced imprisonment, violence, abuse, potential arrest &harassment from those who support the regime in Bahrain. Her family, friends & fellow defenders have faced those things & even worse, death. Her Sister has been arrested multiple times. Smear campaigns have been launched against her & fellow defender Nabeel Rajab who is currently incarcerated. She fled her homeland & is still defending Human Rights.

She recently tried to fly to Bahrain but was denied from boarding the plane by order of the Bahraini Government. A Bahraini Citizen prevented from entering the country, The prominent Human Rights Defenders are all imprisoned there. The Government there tell the world change is happening but people are still dying & rights are still being violated. Surely it is time for Sanctions & to cut Aid & Trade?

Get angry, tell someone about it! Exercise that right to freedom of speech that is denied to so many others of our brothers & sisters elsewhere

I would like to extend an open invitation to Maryam to come & be a guest on my show to tell us more about this ongoing situation.

No genre of music stirs me more than Electro, being an 80's kid, it was a major part of my music listening. Realizing that Alison Moyet had released a brand new album, her first electro album since the 80's in fact, I was in fact to say the least tickled pink. After watching the video for "Changeling" one of the singles from the album, I was on a mission to get it!Having been a lifelong fan of Alison Moyet, I in usual Xanny G fashion tweeted her & she responded as she has done on several occasions. Finding out the Album was on general release, I was right on the I-Tunes site & clicking buy. So I fully admit that I am a superfan of Miss Moyet but I have to say I was pretty much blown away. This was musically fantastic & vocally splendid. Just the high standard you would expect.

The songs were new fresh & pretty much modernized electro, with Moyet's usual haunting chill resonance with every song. Although everyone will have their own favorites, my finger was on the replay for several, including Changeling, Horizon Flame, & Love Reign Supreme. Having said that choosing which song to cover will be a much harder task given the songs are all catchy, intriguing & of the highest caliber.

As those of you who appreciate my music will know I credit Alison with some responsibility for sculpting my own musical style & love of electro along with others. Few artists have spanned over 30 years with continual quality & classic songs, but I am so glad she has managed to do so. I along with others have waited patiently for this album & am grateful for this musical succor.

As with all of this artists work, the songs are real & have a visually stimulating story, no shooby dooby bs here no siree! The evolution in Moyet's artistry is evident, however the early stuff is just as good. I challenge anyone to know the lyrics to every song as well as me, except perhaps Miss Moyet herself of course.

What would make this album even more perfect, if that is possible, would be to get my hands on a sign red vinyl L.P but alas, this superfan missed out. I would however settle for being able to interview Miss Moyet on my popular Radio Show, Xandermonium. Sundays 5pm EST, so if you do happen to read this review Alison, please come be a guest on my show.

Clearly working with Guy Sigsworth has given Electro a whole new grown up & more exciting feel, coupled with Alison's vocals, this really hits the spot! I heartily recommend you go right now & buy a copy of "The Minutes" by the fabulous Alison Moyet, or I might have to go flirt with your boyfriend. Seriously though, go buy this fabulous album! The best yet!

With the recognition of gay people having a higher disposable income, some business people think the pink Dollar has become one of the most increasingly sought after markets.

From bars, to restaurants, to shops and now even multi­national companies are getting in on the act. In recognition of our spending power, it seems that IKEA have often used overtly gay advertising in order to sell its products. So take heed TARGET!

In America over the years there has been lots of overtly gay advertising for products ranging from furniture to whisky. One ad agency chief said of the gay market: "With spending power of this caliber it would be mad not to cater for them." IKEA have already got our attention with prime time ads and there is hope that there will be more.

Other companies who have used gay advertising include banana republic, with kissing lesbians, K-Mart, using two older queens plus Johnny Walker whisky and Paco Rabanne being more ambiguous. Guinness was rumored to have made a gay advert some years ago - though the media debate at the time guaranteed it was quickly shelved, never to have been aired.

Is it that “Us Gays” are coming back into fashion again? I wonder? A certain fast food chicken company where recently boycotted by gays because the company was believed to be anti­gay.

It seems that some companies try to dominate the market by enabling the product to appeal to us although I wonder how easy this actually is. Are we that gullible that a hot guy can sell us anything? Wrap him up I’ll take him away.

I feel that advertising could possibly be on a sticky wicket, as it’s a real presumption that “Us Gays” will buy one product rather than another just because of its advertising.

If the product is bad good advertising certainly won't make up for it in any way. IKEA apparently said their gay targeted adverts treated people 'as people, and that gay money is “every bit as good as straight money”. (Well thanks for that)

It seems that the hallmark of these ads is to recognize homosexuals as responsible members of the community. (I guess that’s when we are not tearing at the fabric of society) I've haven’t met many responsible gay people lately. (Just kidding of course)

Although in some ways it's good that gays have been shown in this light & some may say that we're being exploited. No matter what you think, it seems odd that mainstream companies should take such an interest in the finances of our community. Clearly they see the potential of marketing to us.

General Mills Cereals recently came out in support of gay people & gay marriage. They even changed their product Frosted Lucky Charms to “Rainbow Colors”

They even adopted a slogan, Lucky to be! How this is any different from that nasty chicken company opposing gays & gay marriage I am unsure. It’s all about selling product & we are on to you!

I doubt any of this marketing has been derived from any equality school of thought but rather a profits point of view. It would be quite different if these companies said 10% off for the LGBT community but I don't think they would. When I buy a product or use a service I use it or buy it for how good it is first and very rarely does the gay-friendly factor come into it.

If a company has out and out slammed the gay community or supported Anti-gay organizations or individuals then I would definitely boycott them although I think that most companies would be very careful as to their public image.

Target came under attack for donating monies to Minnesota GOP candidate Tom Emmer who openly opposes gay marriage. Target CEO Greg Steinhafel maintains that it still supports the LGBT community and has no agenda. This highlights the risks for companies that make political commentary or corporate donations to political groups.

As you may have guessed this homosexual will not be shopping at that nasty chicken joint in the near future or probably ever again. I am convinced that they will come up with a T.V ad to counterbalance the situation. Who knows maybe Elton John will be available to sell out again if the price is right. I am sure they have no regrets regarding its decision but I watch with interest at their actions to find face with the gay public again.

I do look forward to seeing more 'gay-friendly' ads though, as there maybe some hot guys in them and maybe this is the pulling power. I still I don't think it will sway me. Maybe if they where smeared with chocolate and…………. Ok enough of my drivvle. They could always offer me an advert though: 'Xander Gibb' advertising Martini or Champaign, or a men's cosmetic range. No not a diet product you bitches! I can dream, can't I?

In 1993 when I lived in London I remember being shocked & sickened when I heard about the murder of Stephen Lawrence. Stephen was a 19 yr old Black British guy, from Eltham in South East London who was murdered in a racist attack while waiting for a bus. This became a benchmark case of the highest caliber of any racially motivated killing in UK history.

At the initial trial all of the usual tricks were brought out of the bag & it was denied that the murder was racially motivated, but the evidence was overwhelming. The perpetrators claimed they weren’t racist, but calling someone a “NIGGER” & stabbing them in the chest & the arm is hardly an attempt at fostering racial harmony. Eye witnesses who saw the attack confirmed it was unprovoked & over so quickly.

Attempts were made by the police to smear Stephen & his family’s names. This was later corroborated by an under cover officer who had been working within an anti-racist campaign group in the mid-1990s

It prompted cultural changes in attitudes on racism, the police/law practices & the partial revocation of double jeopardy laws. Five perpetrators were initially arrested for Stephens Murder but the investigation was handled so badly there were no convictions forthcoming at that time.

The Metropolitan Police in London were investigated & found to be Institutionally Racist. The report also stated it had been incompetent & that officers had committed fundamental errors, including failing to give first aid when they reached the scene. The case was described by The Home Secretary as one of the highest-profile unsolved racially-motivated murders.

Thousands of people turned out to show their support at the venue where the enquiry was held. The nation was clearly disgusted by the lack of justice & disinterest of the powers that be in prosecuting 5 white men, who took the life of 1 black man. Stephen Lawrence was murdered in cold blood because of the color of his skin, & the police were culpable in the injustice.

After the enquiry I was at a fundraiser & was seated next to The Divisional Commander for The Metropolitan Police. Never one to shy away, I asked if he felt that there was a level of institutionalized racism in either The Police or Judiciary, to which he answered no! However, he said it only takes a few racists for it to trickle down the system.

The Lawrence family endured years of hell on top of losing their son. They were forced to take out a private prosecution because the police & judiciary failed them. They had no financial assistance & had to pay for the case themselves. Again this was thrown out due to lack of evidence. It’s hard in these cases to get all of the facts when one of the parties is dead.

Two of the five murderers were eventually brought to justice, convicted & sentenced to life, twenty years after the event. Finally there was some justice for Stephen Lawrence.

Stephens Mom said “I would like Stephen to be remembered as a young man who had a future. He was well loved, and had he been given the chance to survive maybe he would have been the one to bridge the gap between black and white because he didn’t distinguish between black and white. He saw people as people.”

The Stephen Lawrence Murder case came to my mind when the verdict of not guilty was handed down to George Zimmerman, an unofficial neighborhood warden who shot & killed an unarmed Black teenager on his way home from a trip to the store.

Trayvon Martin was a 17-year-old African-American high school student who lived in Miami Gardens, Florida with his Mom. In February 2012, he was visiting his father in Sanford, Florida when he had been suspended from school, due to the discovery of drug residue in his book bag.

Zimmerman, 29, was a part-time student & a self appointed neighborhood watch captain at the Retreat at Twin Lakes gated community. On the night of Trayvon’s murder, he was patrolling the neighborhood & called 911 to report a “suspicious person”.

He ignored the Instructions not to leave his vehicle or approach the person. Moments later, neighbors heard gunfire. Zimmerman acknowledges that he shot Trayvon, claiming it was in self-defense, even thought Trayvon was unarmed. In a police report, Officer Timothy Smith writes that Zimmerman was bleeding from the nose and back of the head.

Witnesses gave varying reports, Zimmerman was on top, Trayvon was on top & Zimmerman had stated that Trayvon had jumped out from behind a bush to attack him. A grown man attacked by a significantly smaller teenage boy, bearing in mind if Zimmerman was that scared he could have stayed in his car.

It was also claimed that Zimmerman was unable to break free from Trayvon or move his arms however was perfectly able to reach around to the gun he had in the back of his pants & shoot Trayvon. Trayvon died as a result of the shooting.

The trial that followed was a pantomime, where the facts were built skillfully by Zimmerman’s defense counselor around the stand your ground law which is on the statutes on Florida. Zimmerman had learned in detail about this law in classes he had taken previously

During the 18 months preceding the February 26 shooting, Zimmerman called the non-emergency police line seven times. On five of those calls, Zimmerman reported suspicious looking men in the area, but never offered the men’s race without first being asked by the dispatcher.

Consequently Zimmerman was acquitted by a jury of 6 Women, 5 white & 1 Hispanic. I am unsure how this was a jury of his peers but both prosecution & defense agreed upon them. The verdict was met with disdain & disgust both in The US & throughout the world. Protests began immediately with the message, “How can we trust the Justice, when there is no Justice”?

There are 3 sides to this story, Zimmerman’s, & he has a vested interest in being found not guilty, Trayvon’s & he is dead, murdered by Zimmerman & The Truth. The simple facts of this case however you look it are as follows: An unarmed 17 yr old male, was shot & killed by an Adult who claims his actions were fair & were self defense. Trayvon Martin was shot & killed & we have forgotten that fact.

The consideration of who was screaming was also left to conjecture. As the screaming stopped when the shot was fired, surely that is definitive of who was actually screaming? Why was Zimmerman’s skull not fractured from being smashed 25 times onto concrete?

The defense did their very best to put Trayvon Martin on trial for his own murder, as if he deserved to be shot & killed & they won. What a travesty of justice.

Another point that is relevant in this case, is Florida's despicable record for their Department of Justice. Let’s not forget that Casey Anthony walked free from court & was found not guilty of murdering her 2-year-old daughter Caylee.

The jury declined to convict her of either first degree murder or manslaughter. I am left wondering who is overseeing the Judiciary in Florida. Krusty the clown? Caylee Anthony is still dead & no one has been brought to justice for killing her. Casey Anthony is now pregnant with twins.

Is this the beginning of the Death of the American Judicial system? Was the Zimmerman verdict fair & will the verdict spark a vigilante attitude in the union? A civil case is pending & frankly I for one feel the verdict of Zimmerman’s case should be overturned. Zimmerman is hiding in fear for his life & whilst I am not in favor of violence, he is clearly a man with something to hide.

The United States would do well to look the occurrences in the case of The Murder of Stephen Lawrence & ask itself some questions. Was this a clear case of institutionalized Racism? & Does the Stand your ground law in Florida & the verdict in this case now mean that anyone can now shoot you there, without credible witnesses & claim self defense? Learn from The mistakes of The United Kingdom.

This verdict is an atrocity & and a poor excuse for justice. An immediate judicial review needs to be initiated in the interests of all that is decent. This is a big wake up call people & we should check those who are saying that Trayvon deserved what he got as this is a deeper insight into what they really think.

My biggest disappointment in all of this is that President Obama has not demanded a review. How would he have reacted if this was his son racially profiled? He wears a hood & looks stoned so therefore he must be a thug? We have to be mindful of these dangerous stereotypes as they only serve to divide the community further.

To add insult to injury Zimmerman had his gun returned to him & there will apparently be no revocation of his gun license. If this had been a vehicular manslaughter case, there is no way the perpetrator would be given back his license. The judiciary is going to hell in a hand basket sadly & not commenting on this situation is something I am unable to do.

My heart goes out to Trayvon’s family & friends & I know for certain that Doreen & Neville Lawrence know the pain you are feeling right.

I pray that justice will prevail in this case & that Florida will wake up & smell the coffee.

For some time now I have become increasingly incensed by the hypocrisy of celebrity. It seems that some members of the glitterati feel they can and indeed say and do as they please and then do the opposite at the drop of a hat without loss of privilege, status, or position in the celebriverse. I am so sick of the talk of forgiveness because whilst I am not perfect I am however sure that before forgiveness occurs, repentance really does have to take place. That is unless you are a celebrity and baby if you are there is no need to even acknowledge the occurrence.

Young people follow celebrities, buy their snake oil and take their every word as gospel. Their influences on the youth of today can be frighteningly gripping and is a scary testament to the powers they yield. With this power however comes a level of responsibility which is clearly forgotten by some and also exploited by others. It is within every individuals remit to ensure that they stand by what they say and ensure that they are true to the philosophies they put out there. To my own detriment sometimes I am vehemently true to what I feel and I believe sharing that is part of my remit in life. I am more concerned with honesty than popularity and I am here to make a difference.

Hypocrisy is not only a failure of Celebs it is a failure of all who do not stand by the principles they profess to live by. Because society and the media follow every breath of those in the public eye, we witness these failures of conscience in glorious Technicolor while the pundits roll out excuses for bad behavior. If I hear one more person say you can’t be principled in business I am gonna vomit, literally. You cannot excuse ditching your values in order to make a quick buck. This doesn’t make me want to respect you, but standing by your principles will.

As my regular readers will know from my columns I was more than pissed to say the least at the decision of Elton John to play at the wedding of Rush Limbaugh (Conservative talk show host and General Repuglican fat ass) for a cool million dollars. Limbaugh is anti-gay and anti gay marriage, and generally anti anything non Republican. I am sure I am not the only Mo who felt let down by this betrayal and it’s not as if he even needed the money. Some even dubbed Elton as a whore! Arise Whore Elton!

There really is no end to Elton’s lack of support for the gay community and his duet with Eminem and his comments on gay marriage in the US have not made us view him in any better light. Some feel he redeemed himself somewhat by helping to raise $3M back in January for the fight against Prop 8 but not me. Where is the consistency with Elton? It is sad that someone with his standing cannot be constant in his support for the gay community. Off and on never did it for me and although I love his music I find it hard to support him any longer.

Last year we saw the full impact of the hypocrisy of the McCain’s or the McHypocrites as they have been dubbed (mostly by me). Senator McCain explains away his hypocrisy with republican rhetoric which is becoming like religion for those who are crazy enough to take it on board. Meghan McCain and her Mother posed for pictures for the NOH8 Campaign as a precursor to selling Meghan book.

Even after the furor of Target openly and unapologetically donating to Tom (The Hater) Emmer’s campaign Meghan openly boasted in her Twitter feed about shopping at Target and letting them sell her book even though they had dumped on the gay community from a great height on more than one occasion. Several reputable artists including myself withdrew their products by way of protest.

Clearly the NOH8 support was a hypocritical act as last year Cindy McCain said although she fully supported gay rights she also agreed fully with her husband Senator McCain’s views on DADT & gay marriage rights in the US. As the two views are totally opposed there does come a point where you have to either pick a side or shut the fuck up Cyndi or you end up looking like the hypocrite that you are. The saddest thing about the whole debacle is that we fell for it hook line and sinker and believed the hype they used to sell us to sell Meghan’s crappy book. Even though NOH8 are aware of these facts their pictures still adorn the site. Go figure.

It was revealed last week that Lady GAGA was thinking of getting into bed with Target for an exclusive deal that would make her a considerable amount of money, which clearly means the deal, is signed, sealed and delivered. Of all of the people to work with Target after their failures to support the gay community I thought GAGA would be the last. Clearly I was wrong. So what happened to that total commitment to the gays? Did it go out of the window when the chance to make a squillion bucks knocked on the door? Well clearly so.

GAGA said "Part of my deal with Target is that they have to start affiliating themselves with LGBT charity groups and begin to reform and make amends for the mistakes they've made in the past...our relationship is hinged upon their reform in the company to support the gay community and to redeem the mistakes they've made supporting those groups." But promises Target have made in the past to make amends where just words and no action was ever seen.

All the talk in meetings with Target of being “Thoughtful” is clearly the way GAGA’s management cover themselves for the next time Target messes up but GAGA is still laughing all the way to the bank. Although she is an amazing and innovative artist does she think we are so stupid to believe this bullshit? She has no control over Target and although I am myself a big fan of the mother monster my enamor has now slipped somewhat. Once again I feel I have been corporately fucked in the ass with a rubber duck only this time it has GAGA stamped on it.

All of this leaves me questioning who is to blame for the hypocrisy that celebrities show and the answer to that is very simple. We are! The consumer/fan/user etc allows themselves to be drawn in until the celebrity can do no wrong. Their fallibility goes out of the window and they become godlike. We put celebrities onto pedestals as if they are superhuman and untouchable and the media endorses this rite of passage and when we see their true colors and how we have been deceived we wonder what happened. I include myself in all of this but see myself but as a lone voice in the community whilst the celebs say hypocrisy? What hypocrisy? I can do no wrong! I ask you, where do you stand?

Peace and Luv, Xan x

I AM ECSTATIC TO REPORT THAT INDEED LADY GAGA IS TRUE TO HER WORD AND DIDN'T GO THROUGH WITH THE TARGET DEAL PROVING THERE ARE STILL SOME STARS WITH INTEGRITY!

Those of you who know me will attest that nothing grabs me more than a tough, talented, beautiful woman. Judy, Liza, Barbara, Bette, Fran, Mariska and not forgetting Tab! Tab? You mean the soft drink? No silly I mean Tabatha Coffey the Australian presenter of Tabatha’s Salon Takeover on Bravo TV and author of the new book It’s Not Really About the Hair. I have a personalized signed copy. Got yours yet? Get yours soon while stocks last.

Tabatha shot to fame on Bravo’s Sheer Genius and the producers offered her opportunity to host her own show and the rest is history, or is it? Now in its 3rd series (Yes I am an avid viewer) Take Over really does go from strength to strength. For those of you who haven’t seen it shame on you lol, the show in essence is reality TV at its very best. Every week Tabatha visits salons all over the Union and identifies those elements preventing it from achieving its potential success.

She pulls no punches and is brutally honest about the failures of the establishments she visits. With exquisite phraseology like “Halfway house for shit” she shares her own particular brand of critique and let’s face it, if you know your stuff you have the right to point out what’s not quite right. Some people branded Tabatha a bitch for being honest to God up front and she even turned that into an empowering acronym Brave Intelligent Tenacious Creative & Honest. Wow you go girl I am clearly a B.I.T.C.H and maybe you where thinking of me also when you created this?

As well as all of the TV stuff Tabatha runs her own successful hair salon in Ridgewood New Jersey called Industrie Hair Guru’s. Her own philosophy seems to be that she is just a very talented hairdresser who got some very lucky breaks Her personality really shines through and I can see what the producers saw in her in order to offer her a show of her very own. She really is talented and her common sense approach makes for interesting viewing. Please Tab cut my hair F.F.S LOL!

As I read her book, I realize apart from being stunningly beautiful just how many things Tabatha Coffey and I have in common. We both lived in London at the same time, we both have Drag queens in our past, (ok I was one, and now the secret is out) we are both amazingly talented albeit at different things, we are both gay, and we both enjoy the musical styling’s of Xander Gibb lol Screw it I’m gonna dye my hair blonde and purchase some hot leather pants ASAP! Although I am sure I won't be able to do them the same justice as Tabatha does I will give anything a go!

Openly gay Tabatha says her sexuality is no different to her having blue eyes and in no way pertains to her career and you know what I really concur with that sentiment. Gay people don’t go to work to be gay, they go to work to earn money and pay their bills like everyone else. Coming out to her Mom was not the experience she expected from such a pro gay Mother but the book shares how they grew from this. She has been in a relationship for over ten years which in gay years equates to about 70 years in reality.

I guess growing up around drag queens and gay folks leaves you very aware of those around you from an early age. In the book Tabatha details openly her life to date including her failed boob job. Very few Celebrity books, although she insist she is not a Celebrity are so frank and honest to a point of making you feel like she is a friend. We also see a pictorial epilogue of the life and times of Tabatha Coffey and although the looks may vary, she remains the same down to earth person we have got to know.

The TV show goes from strength to strength and I watch each week with trepidation at the audacious attitudes of the people she encounters. The odd thing about this show is that although I know nothing about Hairdressing (apart from of course petrissage, effleurage & tapotement lol) the common sense approach wins all the way and the recommendations made are based on fact and procedure and not personal likes and dislikes.

I often find myself wanting to slap several of the participants for their sheer bloody mindedness and unwillingness to accept change or different ideologies whether out of sheer laziness or just because they know best. My feelings and responses always echoe those of Tabatha and I guess the rest of the populous. I go from shock to sheer shock, to amazement and always end up glad that she manages to pull it off and get the Salon back on track. I am yet to see an organization she cannot turn around. Maybe the GOP needs to give her a job!

So what is next for the amazingly talented Tabatha Coffey? A chain of salons? Head of Bravo TV? Releasing a single with Xander Gibb? Opening The Coffey Institute of Hair & Beauty? Well A little bird called Tab told me recently it was gonna be the latter and I look forward to be invited to the opening. So Tabatha Coffey I’m your biggest fan I’ll follow you till you call the cops and get me arrested lol ! Buy the book guys it’s a great read!